Crossing Fires
by AnimeSnowflake
Summary: Naruto's crazy antics are nothing new. However, a mission and a trip to the hospital lead him to meeting a new friend and hearing a story heard by few. A NarutoxYu-Gi-Oh! crossover one-shot.


**Hello, everyone. Despite the fact that I still need to work on some other fanfiction projects, I came up with another NYC one-shot for you all to read. This time, I've picked two characters that I think would get along really well: Naruto Uzumaki and Katsuya Jounouchi (or for those that prefer the English dub, Joey Wheeler). What's strange is before typing this, I had wanted to do an NYC one-shot with Naruto and Yugi. However, I thnk that would be a more obvious friendship than this one (not to mention I already gave Yugi a spotlight in Grayscale). So, I could've done more humorous circumstances for these two goofballs to meet, but I decided to go for a more serious approach. For the Yu-Gi-Oh fans that will probably recognize what moment I've used, I've used the manga version. You'll know what I mean when you read it. Okay, I think I've said enough. I'll let you readers continue with the reading of the one-shot.**

**Disclaimer: There are three things that would be cool to own: a bachelor's degree, the Naruto series, and the Yu-Gi-Oh series. Unfortunately, the only one I can possibly own would be the first thing. The other two belong to their respective owners.**

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'_God, why do all the bad things happen to me?' _Naruto thought with a scowl.

It had been a few months since the Chuunin Exams had taken place, and Naruto's team had been put automatically on a challenging mission. As if the death of the Third Hokage wasn't bad enough, they were immediately sent to send a package. Sending a package didn't sound that difficult to Naruto at first, but what made it difficult was the fact that they had to travel to a distant world in order to deliver it. The past few days hadn't gone so well for the blond shinobi. On the first day in the new country, he had picked up the flu, resulting in taking an unpleasant medicine to get it to go away. On day two, he and Sasuke had gotten in a huge argument, leading in Naruto's pride being utterly crushed in an incident he didn't bother to look back on. Finally, today, he had tripped while running, resulting in him scraping his elbow against the pavement and going to the hospital nearby.

At the moment, a nurse was tending to Naruto's injury and bandaging it. Kindly, she told him, "Don't you worry; a scrape like this should heal over in about three days."

Naruto fought the urge to smirk and roll his eyes; with his unnatural healing capabilities, he'd be able to cut that healing time in half: maybe more. After the bandaging was done, the nurse said, "There you go. Now, try to be a little more careful, alright?"

"Hm, yeah," Naruto mumbled, not appreciating being reprimanded. He left the room where his injury was taken care of, and as the door closed behind him, he sighed and thought, _'What am I supposed to do now? Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke ditched me to deliver that package… Oh well, I guess I could check out what bizarre shops this town has.'_

With this thought in mind, the blond began walking down the hallway towards where he believed the entrance was. Before he could get very far, though, he heard some voices coming from the next hallway over.

"I'm sorry, young man. You'll have to wait."

"Listen, pal. You don't understand. My friend is in there!"

"That may be the case, but your friend is in critical condition; the medical staff needs to concentrate on helping him."

"If you wanna help him, then let me in! I can help!"

Naruto finally reached the end of the hallway and looked at the two people speaking. They stood in front of a door to a room. One was an older gentleman; from his attire, the shinobi could see that he was with the hospital. The other person was a young boy: if Naruto had to take a guess, a boy about his age. The boy had dirty blond hair as opposed to Naruto's bright blond hair. The features about this boy that struck him most, however, were his chocolate brown eyes that seemed infuriated at the moment and the small bandages covering his body.

The older gentleman looked back to the young child and said, "Sir, I'm afraid there isn't much you could do to help. Rest assured we're doing what we can. Just wait and we'll get you when we finish."

And with those last words, the man went into the room they were standing in front of. The teen in front of Naruto growled for a second before backing up and taking a seat against the wall. Although Naruto had been told by his sensei that they were not to get connected with any of the people in this world, his curiosity wanted to know what this boy was so upset about. So, the young shinobi walked up to the boy sitting against the wall, now with his head resting against his knees. For a moment, he tried to think of how to break the ice. Finally, he just said, "Hey."

The other boy looked up at Naruto, and for a moment, confusion filled his eyes. Cocking his head to the side, he asked, "Who are you?"

Smiling, Naruto took a seat next to this boy and said, "Name's Naruto. And you are?"

The other teen smiled back (although his smile was slightly forced) and said, "Jounouchi. Nice to meet 'cha, Naruto. What brings you over here?"

"Well, I couldn't help but overhear you yelling at that doctor. Is something wrong?" Naruto asked, trying not to sound prying.

Jounouchi sighed and said, "Well, yes and no. I don't know. So much has been going on; I'm not sure what to think."

Naruto looked back at the boy in curiosity as he placed his arms around his knees and rested his head on them. From what the shinobi could tell, he was stressed out; perhaps he had been through some troubling times, too. However, he wasn't sure if he could try to get answers out of Jounouchi without things getting difficult. Naruto had learned in many different incidents that he had a bad habit of saying things that gave others the wrong idea. He was suddenly caught out of his thoughts when Jounouchi asked, "So, what happened to you? Got in a fight?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked, wondering what the boy was talking about. Soon, however, he looked back at his bandaged elbow and realized why Jounouchi was asking this. Smiling, Naruto replied, "Oh, that. Well, actually, no. I was trying to beat my friend, Sasuke, in a race, and I tripped. It's kind of sad, really; I don't normally get scratches like this."

"Heh, that's weird. I so imagined you to be the type to get into fights with the wrong sorts of people," Jounouchi mumbled. "I mean, you look like the rebel type."

Naruto chuckled at his new friend's statement and said, "Really? That's kinda funny; I used to actually pull pranks all the time back home where I come from. I might still be doing that right now if I didn't have such good friends. I mean, we may fight sometimes, but I know they care about me."

A bit of silence passed as Jounouchi looked towards Naruto in thought. Naruto found the stare he was receiving a little bit strange, and he shifted uncomfortably. Finally, after what seemed longer than a few minutes to the young boy, Jounouchi said, "So, your friends helped you stop pranking people? Well, I guess you're kind of like me, then."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto asked, giving Jounouchi a startled look. The blond teen didn't answer though, lost in his own thoughts. The blond shinobi thought for a bit, and after remembering a comment he had heard earlier, Naruto asked, "Wait, were _**you **_a rebel?"

Jounouchi let out a chuckled and said, "I guess you could say that. I didn't exactly grow up in the best conditions, and I used to pick fights with anybody just to get rid of the empty feeling I used to have all the time. Several months ago, I changed for the better; it all happened 'cuz of… well, 'cuz of him."

With that last statement, he gestured towards the door in front of the two of them. Naruto took a look at the door, then back at Jounouchi. For a moment, he didn't get what he was saying. However, after a while, he recalled the reason he had come to speak with Jounouchi in the first place. The thing that had caught the shinobi's attention was the fact that Jounouchi had wanted to see whoever was being treated in that room. After a moment, Naruto looked back at him and asked, "So, what happened? To get you here, I mean."

Jounouchi sighed, and for a moment, Naruto thought he wasn't going to get an answer. However, just as he was about to speak up, the other boy said, "We barely got out of a fire."

Naruto looked at him in surprise and said, "A fire? Whoa! So that's why you've got those bandages, huh?"

"Yeah," Jounouchi mumbled, brushing some soot off of his face before looking at the ground. "I got off easy, though. Poor Yugi got the worst of our burn injuries. Why didn't he just get out of there right away? I mean, I sort of get why, but I also don't get it. He could've DIED in there! As far as I know, he isn't out of the woods yet, and I could've done all that for nothing!"

As the teen let out another sigh and leaned back against the wall, Naruto tried to make sense of what he had said. Like Jounouchi, he didn't really know what could drive a person to stay in a fire, and even if he knew the details of what had happened to these two, he still probably wouldn't get it. From what Naruto heard, this was all he could figure out. Jounouchi and his friend, Yugi, had been caught in some serious fire, and it had gotten to the point where Jounouchi had to work hard to try and get him and his friend out of there. The young shinobi felt like this situation sounded strangely familiar in a sense: not the "being caught in a fire" situation, but the general situation of being stuck in a tight spot and having to do everything possible to get someone you care about out of that dangerous situation. After a while, to break the silence, Naruto absentmindedly said, "Well, at least you did everything you could, right?"

Jounouchi sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and replied, "Yeah, I suppose. I'm not even sure how I managed to do all of that, though. It's just, when we were stuck in there, I felt all of that adrenaline, and I guess my body just moved on its own. All I remember thinking through all of that was 'We're not gonnna die': kept my mind in check by thinking that, I think. When I look back, I don't even think I was worried about myself. I mean, I'm a tough guy; I can handle quite a bit. But he's so small; a lot could've happened to him in there." The blond let his head rest against his knees again as he mumbled out one more statement. "I think at that moment, I was willing to do anything to save Yugi; getting out of that fire wouldn't have been worth it if I couldn't do that."

As Jounouchi spoke, Naruto finally found a connection: something that made him realize why the boy's situation sounded somewhat familiar. With awe, he thought, _'He's kind of like me. I've done crazy things to save my friends, too. Like what happened at the Chuunin Exams…'_

Naruto had remembered that moment all too clearly: that moment when Gaara had put Sakura's life in danger. In that fight, he had tried to do everything in his power to defeat the Suna nin and save Sakura. He had even kept fighting when he didn't have any strength left to fight; so long as she was alright, it hadn't mattered to him what happened to him in the long run. Feeling a new connection with this boy he had met just minutes ago, Naruto grinned and said, "Hey, Jounouchi, I think your friend's going to be alright. If you were willing to stick out your neck for him, then things can't be as bad as they seem. Believe me; what you did was probably more than enough."

Jounouchi looked back at Naruto, a little bit surprised at his words. As he looked back at him, he asked, "You think so?"

"I know so!" Naruto exclaimed. "Trust me, Yugi will pull through. And when he does, I'm sure he'll be thanking you for everything you did."

The blond shinobi looked back at Jounouchi with expectant eyes, waiting for a reaction. For a moment, he didn't get one. However, soon, the other teen smiled back at him, and it wasn't a forced smile this time. With relief on his face, Jounouchi said, "Thanks, man. I think I needed to hear that."

Naruto chuckled and let out a huge grin, glad to have helped his new friend out. For a moment, a silence filled between them: a happy one this time. Suddenly, Naruto yelped at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Standing up and turning around, he saw Sasuke with a cross between his usual scowl and a smirk of amusement on his face. The slight smirk disappeared in the blink of an eye, however, as the young Uchiha said, "What are you doing over here? Why didn't you catch up with us?"

Naruto, as always, frowned at Sasuke's words. Crossing his arms, he said, "I just didn't want to deliver some stupid package, okay? You know how much I hate missions like that."

Nonchalantly, Sasuke replied, "Alright, but you still didn't answer my first question. Why are you over here and not at least in the lobby?"

The blond shinobi grew annoyed, not enjoying his rival prying into everything he was doing. He was about to yell that it was none of his business, but suddenly, Jounouchi piped up and said, "He's over here 'cuz he wanted to help me out. Is there a problem with that?"

Sasuke looked at Jounouchi who had just stood up. After eyeing the teen for a second, he turned back to Naruto and said, "I thought Kakashi told you we weren't supposed to make connections with the locals."

For a moment, Naruto's face scrunched up in anger. Then, he yelled, "I don't need you telling me that! Besides, I can talk to whoever I want!"

Before Sasuke could respond, Sakura and Kakashi entered the hallway and approached the group. Happily, the young girl said, "Oh, you found him, Sasuke-kun!" Then, she turned to Naruto and asked in a stern tone, "Where have you been? I thought you would've caught up with us."

"Uh, well, I got side-tracked," Naruto said nervously after thinking of what could be said without incurring his friend's wrath. Then, he asked, "So, I'm guessing you're done delivering the package then?"

"That's right," Kakashi said with a smile (hidden by the mask). "We can go home now."

"Awesome!" Naruto exclaimed happily, eager to get home.

However, before he or anyone in his team could go anywhere, Jounouchi exclaimed, "Whoa! These are your friends, Naruto? One of them has pink hair! PINK hair! And what's with that guy's mask? Is he some kind of spy or something?"

The group of shinobi stared at the boy for a minute. Finally, after a moment, Kakashi turned to his young student and asked, "So, making new friends, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked back at his sensei, but it was hard to tell whether or not the older gentleman was mad at him for making friends with someone from a completely different world. The blond shinobi didn't want to say anything to make him mad, so it took him a while to think of an answer. He mumbled, "Um, well… I…"

Suddenly, cutting out of everyone's thoughts was the almost mute sound of a door opening. All eyes went towards the doctor coming out. Naruto recognized him as the man that was talking to Jounouchi earlier and instantly wondered if the doctor had good news or bad news. Although the older man was a bit startled by the extra people in the hallway, he instead stepped up towards Jounouchi who in turn came towards him, expecting to hear the news that he had. A suspenseful silence filled the air for a moment. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the doctor smiled and said, "Don't worry. Your friend will be just fine."

Naruto watched as his newly-made friend entered a brief state of surprise. After a few seconds, though, he broke out into a wide smile. Happily, he said, "That's great. Thanks, Doctor. How long do you think he'll be here?"

"Well, our staff is thinking for about two to three days," the doctor said with a smile before his attention was drawn by a nurse in the room.

As the two of the medics talked to one another, Jounouchi suddenly came up to Naruto and gave him a huge hug. Naruto was not only startled, but he also felt uncomfortable with how tight it was. While embracing him, Jounouchi said, "Naruto, you were right! He's okay! Yugi's okay!"

At this moment, the blond teen finally pulled away from Naruto, allowing the shinobi to gain feeling back into his torso. In response to what he had said, Naruto smiled and said, "I told you, didn't I? He was going to be okay if you were willing to put your life on the line for him. Congrats!"

"Thanks," Jounouchi said, now grinning from ear to ear.

Suddenly, to the surprise of both of the blonds, the doctor had come up and tapped Jounouchi on the shoulder. When he had the boy's attention, he said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I believe the patient wishes to know if you would like to see him right now."

"… He's awake?" Jounouchi mumbled in surprise. Naruto was barely able to catch it and was hoping that Jounouchi would go in there. His hopes were answered as the teen told the doctor, "Of course I'd like to see him right now!"

While he had said this cheerfully to the doctor, Naruto felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Kakashi. Quietly, the older man said, "Let's go home."

Smiling, the blond shinobi nodded; he was sure that things were okay enough here for him and his team to head out. Squad Seven then turned and began to exit. Before getting far, though, Naruto heard Jounouchi call out, "Hey, Naruto! Where are you heading?"

Naruto looked back to his new friend and said, "I'm heading home."

"Send me a letter some time! I could use a pen pal!" Jounouchi requested with a smile.

Naruto was a little taken aback from the offer. However, after a moment, he grinned, and as he walked out with his team, he said, "Sure! I'll see what I can do! Tell your friend, Yugi, that I say hi!"

"Can do!" the blond teen replied cheerfully. The last thing Naruto saw of Jounouchi before leaving the hallway was him entering the room they had sat in front of while getting connected.

After this exchange, Naruto turned back around and followed the rest of the team out of the hospital. As soon as they entered the streets, Kakashi addressed the boy by saying, "You know, Naruto, I did tell you to be careful with talking to others in this town. It's not that easy to keep a friendship with someone here."

Naruto turned to look at his sense in shock, afraid that he was being reprimanded. However, much to his surprise, Kakashi looked back at him kindly and continued, "But after seeing the circumstances for myself a few minutes ago, I suppose I can let it slide just this once."

Naruto let out a sigh that he hadn't known he was keeping in, relieved that he wasn't actually going to be punished. After a while, Sakura looked towards Naruto with a smile and said, "So, are you actually going to try and keep in contact with this boy?"

"How could he? They're practically worlds apart," Sasuke said bluntly.

Annoyed with how he was stating something obvious, Naruto frowned and glared at the boy while thinking, _'Way to state the obvious, you jerk!'_

Curiously, he looked back towards the hospital as the team walked beside the walls of the building. As he looked through one of the windows, he saw Jounouchi. The teen inside turned his head to look out the window and waved at him after spotting the shinobi. Happily, Naruto waved back. He was confused for a moment when he saw the teen turn his head and speak to someone else who was probably in the room. In a few seconds, Jounouchi was joined by another boy who had wild hair of three different colors and, unless his eyes weren't able to see properly, violet eyes. The little boy joined Jounouchi in waving at Naruto (although the shinobi noticed that this boy's hand was bandaged). Naruto waved again for a brief moment before looking forward again and catching up with his team. As Naruto walked, he thought, _'Yeah, I'll send letters to that guy. Or at least I'll try.'_

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So, I managed to type this up in three to four days. I'm pretty happy with it. And I like the ending. It could possibly have a sequel if I get in a typing mood and can't work on my other projects; hopefully, though, I'll work on the other stuff first. I hope you enjoyed this one-shot. Thanks for reading!


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